Penne Rose Recipe
Make Penne Rose Recipe in just 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Pasta & finishing
Rose sauce
Method
Pasta & finishing
- 1
Boil pasta
Bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 12 oz penne and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 10–12 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- 2
Finish and serve
Add the drained penne to the rose sauce pan off heat and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached (usually 1/4 to 1/2 cup). Stir in 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan to enrich the sauce. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Plate the pasta, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and chopped fresh basil leaves (8 leaves) and parsley (from sauce). Serve immediately.
Rose sauce
- 3
Sweat aromatics
Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat until butter melts and the fat shimmers. Add the finely diced medium onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 4
Build tomato base
Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavor. Pour in 1 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.
- 5
Simmer sauce
Stir in the 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional), and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld flavors and thicken slightly.
- 6
Make it creamy (the 'rose')
Slowly stir in 3 oz heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk. Raise heat just until the sauce returns to a very gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Simmer 3–5 more minutes until the sauce is silky and slightly thickened. Taste and season with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and more salt if needed. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
- 7
Hold ready
Keep the sauce warm on the lowest heat while the pasta cooks. If the sauce thickens too much while waiting, thin with a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water or milk.